The proposed research is a correlative morphological and biochemical approach to the study of adrenergic nerve vesicles, primarily those which can be isolated in highly pure form from bovine splenic nerve. Vesicle types, distribution in the nerve and maturation characteristics during proximodistal transport are investigated. Special emphasis is placed on the properties of the two-pool system of norepinephrine (NE) associated with the purified vesicle fraction when isolated from nerves after a short post mortem delay. Parameters under investigation include: pool size, chemical composition, amine exchange characteristics, effects of ATP and cations, pharmacodynamics of drug effects, NE and false transmitter synthesis, dopamine Beta-hydroxylase activity and release during incubation and in response to stimulus and post mortem effects. Dopamine Beta-hydroxylase activity is also under investigation in serum of patients which have suffered ruptured aneurysm resulting in subarachnoid hemorrhage and cerebral artery vasospasm.